Department Statement

The Bedford Recreation & Parks Department strives to enrich the lives of our residents by providing safe and welcoming parks, facilities, recreation programs and events for people of all ages. We work in partnership with our residents and in cooperation with other recreation service providers in the community in order to maximize all available resources. We are dedicated to building healthy communities and enriching the quality of life through people, parks and programs.

Programs

Our programs are open to all Town of Bedford Residents. Only those registered in the class will be permitted to attend. Non-Residents may register, if available to non-residents and space permitting, for most programs one week after registration begins and pay an additional 25% of the fee per program. We accept a limited number of school district non-resident children in our day camp programs. In addition, there are a limited number of non-resident family pool memberships available. Please call our office for more information. Registration Registration for all programs takes place at the Bedford Recreation Office. Registration for programs, which have a fee, cannot be accepted by phone. Residents can pay fees with credit card, check or cash. To pay by credit card, you need to enroll in person at the Recreation Office. Please note there is a processing fee associated with all credit card transactions. We do accept mail-in registration forms paid by check, payable to “Town of Bedford”. We do not confirm program registration, nor can we be responsible for lost or misdirected mail. Senior Citizen Discount Town of Bedford residents who are 65 years of age or older; are eligible for a 50% discount on most programs.

Field and Facility Permits

Permits for group use of Town owned fields and facilities are re­quired for group and family functions. For a facility use applica­tion form please download an application from the forms and applications section of the Town website or contact the Recreation office at 666-7004. Individuals wishing to reserve a facility must be a Town Resident. All applications should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the scheduled activity.

Picnic Packs

For residents planning summer picnics, the Bedford Recreation & Parks Department offers free use of a “picnic pack” of outdoor game equipment such as playground balls, jump ropes, Frisbees, wiffle balls, bats, etc. Those interested should contact the office at least one week prior to their planned picnic. A $25 refundable de­posit is required (refunded upon the return of the “picnic pack”).

Insurance

The Town of Bedford carries standard liability coverage. This cov­erage does not include medical costs for anyone injured in the normal course of participation in any Town program. All individu­als enrolled in Town of Bedford Recreation & Parks programs do so at their own risk.

Summer Fun

Pools in Bedford The Town of Bedford has 3 beautiful hamlet pools for you to enjoy! Each pool is located at each hamlet’s park, Bedford Hills Memorial Park, Bedford Village Memorial Park, and Katonah Memorial Park. Membership to one gets you into all three! Each hamlet pool offers a fun, but competitive swim and dive team that children age 6-18 can join! Swim lessons for little ones; birthday parties at the pool, and special family events at each hamlet pool and park will round out the summer fun!

Summer Camps Our Tiny Tot program is available for children 3½ to 5 years old. This half-day program is full of fun activities such as arts and crafts, storyteller, large and gross motor activities, and music for young children. The Day Camps take place in each of the hamlet parks for those youngsters enrolled in elementary school though grade 6. Campers will take part in a variety of activities including swimming lessons, arts and crafts, athletics, science and more. The Teen Get-A-Way is for our Middle School population. This program is offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the camp season. They travel to local attractions, amusement parks, baseball games and more. After our six-week camp is finished the town offers week-long camps in sports, science, technology and art. Every summer the offerings change, so please look for the updated programming in our Spring/Summer brochure which you can find on our Pool/Camp Info page.

North East Westchester Special Recreation runs a six-week day camp programs for children with special needs, ages 4 through 20. For more information on this wonderful program call the Northeast office at 347-4409 or visit their website at northeastspecialrec.org.

Summer Job Opportunities There are many part time job opportunities available during the summer for individuals 16 years of age or older. Summer positions include Lifeguards, swim instructors, desk attendants, parks groundskeepers, camp counselors and specialists. There are a limited number of volunteer positions for 15 year olds as Counselors-in-Training at the Day Camps and Tiny Tots programs. All applications are available at the Recreation Office or by downloading them under the Forms and Applications section on this website.

Program Offerings

A diverse and dynamic recreation program with activities for residents of all ages and during all seasons is offered through the Recreation and Parks Department under the leadership of recreation professionals.

Seasonal Programs

Throughout the year, a variety of activities are offered in the areas of athletics and sports, music, art, dance, pre-school activities and special events. Pre-School: Kiddy Korner Jamboree – a program for 3 and 4 year olds featuring children’s activities, games, music, story time, and art. Other programs include nature classes, art, Lego building, mixed martial arts, and more. School Age Children: We offer a wide variety of seasonal sports, crafts, holiday activities, and special interest nights. In addition we host school break activities, safety classes, cooking, music lessons and more. Adults: For adults we offer fitness classes and wellness classes as well as defensive driving, dog agility and more.

Special Events

Our special events vary from year to year. Some of the programs have included…

Family Valentine Contest

Spring Egg Hunt

Learn to Ride Cycling Program

Fishing Derby

‘Summer Sunset Series,’ a summer entertainment series for the entire famil

Halloween Events

Breakfast with Frosty and Friends

Gingerbread House Building

Family Skate Days at Harvey School

Senior Citizens

Senior Citizens participate in regularly scheduled meetings and programs. A variety of activities such as informational presentations, crafts, exercise, movies, social functions, special programs and parties are offered. Free transportation is offered by the department for local shopping and meetings. Get your name on the senior mailing list to find out about all on going events. (Bus trips, weekly meeting topics, special events and more. A bi-monthly calendar will be mailed to your home address. A Senior Citizen Nutrition Program and a home delivered Meals on Wheels Program are offered through an agreement with the Village of Mt. Kisco. The Department is always on the lookout for volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels.

Town Parks and Facilities

HAMLET PARKS
The Town of Bedford has three active and beautifully maintained park facilities, one in each hamlet, Bedford Hills Memorial Park located at 60 Haines Road in Bedford Hills, Bedford Village Memorial Park located at 65 Greenwich Road in Bedford, and Katonah Memorial Parklocated at the top of North Street in Katonah. Each hamlet park has its own pool facility, tennis courts, basketball courts, playing fields, picnic areas and playground area. In addition both Bedford Village and Katonah have platform tennis courts. Residents can enjoy our parks year round, sunrise to sunset. Pools are open to residents Memorial Day through Labor Day with a valid Pool ID card.

DOG PARK
In addition to our three very active parks, we have Dog Park, “Canine Commons: A Tribute to Working Dogs” located at Beaver Dam Park on Beaver Dam Road in Bedford Hills. This park offers a large dog area, small dog area, and agility area. The park is open to Town of Bedford Residents with a dog park permit. A limited number of non-resident permits are also available. All dogs are required to have a NYS Dog License. For permit and licensing information contact the Town Clerks office.

BEDFORD HILLS COMMUNITY HOUSE
This charming community building was opened and dedicated to the Town on July 4, 1920 and gifted to the Town of Bedford in 2001. The building is maintained by the Town Building Department and scheduled by the Recreation and Parks Department. The building is a multi-purpose building that houses many Recreation Department sponsored programs and events along with various meetings for different community organizations. The building has 5 different rooms of varying sizes to meet different needs and is available to rent for meetings, functions or parties. You must be a Town resident to rent the building.

Rentals and Parties: Persons/Groups interested in reserving an area of the parks or the Bedford Hills Community House for an event should download a form from the Forms and Applications section and send it to the recreation office for approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find out about the programs? The recreation department publicizes their programs in Seasonal Brochures. These can be found on-line. To be the first to know, sign up for the town e-mail alert. Can I Register for Recreation Programs by Phone? Registration by phone is not permitted. You may register by coming into the Recreation and Parks Department Office or by mail. Mail in registrations must include a completed and signed registration form and a check for the amount due. Who do I make my check payable to? Checks for Recreation Programs should be made payable to the “Town of Bedford”.

Can I pay for Recreation programs with a credit card? Yes, The Town of Bedford accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express. We cannot take credit cards over the phone. All credit card transactions must be completed by 4:00pm of business day. Please note there is a processing fee associated with all credit card transactions. Can I get a refund? Those looking for a refund before the program date should fill out a Refund Request. Refund request will be reviewed individually and will, if granted, be prorated and subject to a $10 administrative processing fee. (All Camp refunds are subject to different policies.) Refunds will also be given when a class is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. The participant assumes the risk of all changes in personal and business affairs.

How can I check if a program has been cancelled? If you have registered for a program with us and provided an e-mail address, every attempt will be made to e-mail you if a program is cancelled due to inclement weather. You can also call our recreation hotline number at 914-864-3777 or during office hours 914-666-7004. What is the Town e-mail Alert and how do I sign up? The Town has created an alert system to update residents about events, town meetings and pertinent information that might be of interest to the residents. To sign up, click on the E-mail Alerts on the green section on the left of this page.